Day 3 and OMG I want to SLEEP. No energy!

[tracyspinner]

I'm on Day 3 and OMG my energy level has tanked and I want to eat All. The. Things. Prior to W30 I chewed gum and sucked on Lifesaver Mints in between meals to help me from snacking. I was eating around 1800 kcal with macros of 40/30/30 eating 6 small meals a day. Transitioning to three meals and PreWO and Post WO has been tough! I am supposed to do an intense leg WO today, but there's NO WAY. I will fall asleep on the squat rack. Any tips to get me through the days of NO energy with scheduled WO's?

[tracyspinner]

Also, perhaps my kcal are too low?! I have no idea since I'm not keeping track anymore......

Today:

M1: 1 cup egg whites, 1/2 c diced roasted sweet potatoes, 1 T coconut oil, w/ 1/4 c blueberries, 12 oz iced black coffee

M2: 1 cup roasted sweet potatoes, 1 cup roasted root vegetables, 4 oz grilled chicken

M3: Perfect Hamburger Patty, 1 portabello mushroom, 1/2 avocado, grilled zuchinni/squash and 1/2 sliced apple w cinnamon

Lots of water, sparkling water, and GT's Kombucha

[GFChris]

What have you been having for pre and post WO meals?

The reality is, for most folks, their workout performance dips for the first 1-3 weeks of a Whole30 until your body is fully fat adapted.

Make sure you're well-hydrated: 1/2 an ounce of water per pound of body weight, daily.

Try upping the veggies and maybe fat at M1. What fat did you have at M2? How big was that hamburger patty at M3? You might also try upping the veggies and fat at M3. Use the palm of your hand (vs. a scale) for portioning protein: 1-2 palm-sized servings per meal (1 palm is the length, width and thickness of your palm).

[tracyspinner]

Chris, I'm trying really hard to eat the portion size according to the template. It's an adjustment eating that much food at a sitting. I'm used to eating small meals (example: 1/2 Sprouted Eziekiel muffin w/ 1 T natural peanut butter and blueberries for b'fast followed 3 hours later by a whole sliced apple with 2 T almond butter, then lunch 3 hours later of 3 oz chicken, 1/4 c whole grain brown rice, 1/2 c green beans.....) I think I'm under eating based on previous meal planning habit. I packed my lunch today according to the template and it took me an hour to eat all of the food. I currently weigh (as of Sunday, don't know since I started Monday and not weighing until July) 143. I'm drinking a gallon of water a day. It's what I usually drink. My pre WO has been 1 hardboiled egg and post WO has been 1/2 chicken breast and 1/2 c sweet potatoes. The hamburger patty at M3 was approx 2 oz, I'm guessing based on the 1 lb of meat divided into 4 patties. I ate one patty. I could've easily eaten two (or three). ;-)

[ladyshanny]

 I am supposed to do an intense leg WO today, but there's NO WAY. I will fall asleep on the squat rack. Any tips to get me through the days of NO energy with scheduled WO's?

Honestly? The best way through this is to go home and rest.  Forget the intense leg workout. Honor what you are doing, honor your body and know that this is your lovely body, not a machine that you can drive as hard as you want.  It's in an intense transition right now and punishing it isn't going to help with that.

 

In response to your other comment, you SHOULD have eaten two or three.  The Whole30 is very different than what you were doing before and we want you to eat food.  Forget macros and calories and all day grazing.  Aside from the fact I don't eat the grains you have listed, the foods that you note for one day wouldn't get me through one meal.  That's not enough food.  Full stop.  

[tracyspinner]

I know we're not supposed to count calories or macros during Whole 30, but I just did a quick calculation of what I've eaten today and it's about 1,100 calories today. My BMR is 1,300. I'm worried about getting enough calories to keep my metabolism from tanking! I'm trying to not over think this and just work the plan and trust the process, but today is TOUGH and I can barely keep my eyes open.

[tracyspinner]

Honestly? The best way through this is to go home and rest.  Forget the intense leg workout. Honor what you are doing, honor your body and know that this is your lovely body, not a machine that you can drive as hard as you want.  It's in an intense transition right now and punishing it isn't going to help with that.

 

In response to your other comment, you SHOULD have eaten two or three.  The Whole30 is very different than what you were doing before and we want you to eat food.  Forget macros and calories and all day grazing.  Aside from the fact I don't eat the grains you have listed, the foods that you note for one day wouldn't get me through one meal.  That's not enough food.  Full stop.

I'm cooking dinner now and will add another meat patty to my plate. ;-)

[ladyshanny]

I know we're not supposed to count calories or macros during Whole 30, but I just did a quick calculation of what I've eaten today and it's about 1,100 calories today. My BMR is 1,300. I'm worried about getting enough calories to keep my metabolism from tanking! I'm trying to not over think this and just work the plan and trust the process, but today is TOUGH and I can barely keep my eyes open.

I'm concerned for you also.  Eat more.  Like....probably nearly double what you are eating now. 

 

Calories in does NOT equal calories out but you are not eating enough.  If you are used to grazing all day on teeny tiny portions (as you mention above), it is going to take some time for your body to get used to accepting larger loads of food fewer times a day.  Make the meals (large ones) and eat as much as you can.  Then cover it up and eat from it again as soon as you are able.

 

Given that you are a bodybuilder (I read that, right?), check out Stupid Easy Paleo's Stephanie Gaudreau, she is all about performance and paleo (not all of her stuff is W30 but she is an embasador for the program) and if you need to believe anyone about eating more to perform better/get leaner etc, believe her!  Go, eat food.  Now. 

 

You can add more fat in the interim while you get used to eating a larger volume, btw.  Coconut milk, whole avocados, heaping handfuls of olives, generous pours of olive and avocado oil etc.

 

PS.  You are feeling like crap and exhausted because you don't have enough nutrients.  Just in case you missed that part.  

[tracyspinner]

I'm concerned for you also.  Eat more.  Like....probably nearly double what you are eating now. 

 

Calories in does NOT equal calories out but you are not eating enough.  If you are used to grazing all day on teeny tiny portions (as you mention above), it is going to take some time for your body to get used to accepting larger loads of food fewer times a day.  Make the meals (large ones) and eat as much as you can.  Then cover it up and eat from it again as soon as you are able.

 

Given that you are a bodybuilder (I read that, right?), check out Stupid Easy Paleo's Stephanie Gaudreau, she is all about performance and paleo (not all of her stuff is W30 but she is an embasador for the program) and if you need to believe anyone about eating more to perform better/get leaner etc, believe her!  Go, eat food.  Now. 

 

You can add more fat in the interim while you get used to eating a larger volume, btw.  Coconut milk, whole avocados, heaping handfuls of olives, generous pours of olive and avocado oil etc.

 

PS.  You are feeling like crap and exhausted because you don't have enough nutrients.  Just in case you missed that part.  

LadyShanny, I could kiss you right now in a very W30 loving way. xoxo Yes, I'm a body builder in that I lift weights 6 days a week with intense HIIT cardio intervals 5 days a week. My goal in the W30 is to reset my metabolism and break free of the Sugar Dragon. I had no idea how much added sugar I was eating until really reading labels. I read labels before for kcal, carb, and sodium content, but not sugar. Holy Moly. Sugar is seriously in everything......except whole food! ;-) I'm going to commit to eat more and transition from mini-meals to full enjoyable meals. Thank you for all of your help!